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Running
a successful meeting yourself isn't always as easy as it sounds,
especially when you need to balance managing the meeting while actively
participating in it. Partnering with a professional facilitator
can help do both.
Leaders and managers report that they spend a significant amount
of time in meetings which are poorly run and do not produce meaningful
results. It doesn't take many of these ineffective meetings to derail
internal processes, stagnate decision making, and frustrate employees
and managers. The best way to avoid this pitfall is to structure
meetings using some proven facilitation techniques that will keep
the team focused, constructive, and on track.
What is meeting facilitation?
Meeting facilitation takes place when a neutral person (the meeting
facilitator) assists an organization in conducting productive and
efficient meetings involving multiple parties, participants, and/or
complex issues. Thus, a good meeting facilitator will make sure
that a positive and proactive tone and agenda are set, the participants
are prepared prior to the start of the meeting, there is a balanced
level of engagement from everyone attending, and action items are
clearly defined and owned prior to adjourning.
When should a professional meeting facilitator be used?
A meeting facilitator is most beneficial when teams need to tackle
high-stakes, complex, or important issues, or when participants
may be difficult to control.
However, when the group's leader assumes the role of facilitator
in these meetings, trouble can follow. It is virtually impossible
for the leader to be neutral on content issues, which is a prime
requisite for an effective facilitator. When group leaders facilitate
their own meetings, they often cross the line into control and advocacy
for their point(s) of view. In turn, this will shut down participation
from others. Drifting from the agenda, lack of balanced participation,
and running overtime are additional problems that can plague these
meetings. Separating the leader and facilitator roles will help
ensure that at least one person is focused on group process issues,
managing the agenda, and keeping people involved.
A professional meeting facilitator can help members of a group
get to know each other, learn to cooperate, and work issues together
in real time. Having a skilled facilitator run a meeting will also
help direct the energy and thoughts of the members to the task at
hand so they can move forward in difficult or stagnant times. Such
meetings might include retreats, brainstorming exercises, strategic
planning and problem-solving sessions.
Why is meeting facilitation important?
Meeting facilitation has become a more important communication
skill in recent times. Many organizations have restructured in an
attempt to involve more employees in the operations and decision-making
of the company, and thus organizations are relying more heavily
on the input of individual employees in a wide variety of decisions.
By the same token, professionals in many areas are increasingly
being asked to work as members of cross-functional groups. Effective
and engaging facilitation has become a critical and required skill
for coordinating the ideas and contributions of diverse sets of
people within any company. Facilitators play an essential role in
these meetings by encouraging teamwork, driving decisions, and maximizing
the overall organizational effectiveness of today's companies.
The role of the facilitator
In summary, a professional meeting facilitator is an unbiased discussion
leader who will guide the meeting and keep it focused. While he
or she should be familiar with your market or topic of discussion,
they are not content experts and should not be positioned as such.
He or she will not make decisions for the group, but will suggest
ways that will help the group to move forward. Prior to the meeting,
the facilitator will work with team's leader to develop the agenda,
identify goals, determine the most effective decision-making process
(e.g. consensus vs. majority vote), and evaluate the success of
the meeting.
Facilitators:
- Remind the group of the meeting's objectives
- Set ground rules for behavior and interaction
- Establish a safe environment in which participants feel comfortable
contributing ideas
- Ensure a balanced discussion by helping shy members come forward
with contributions and limiting input from members with more overbearing
personalities
- Use active-listening techniques and paraphrase contributions
to confirm understanding, making sure the group heard them
- Keep track of time
- Record agreements reached
- Track issues and assign action items
Facilitators do not:
- Play the role of a content expert (although they should be familiar
with the topic)
- Advocate particular opinions or take sides
- Offer their own opinion or try to persuade others
- Let the group unconsciously shy away from difficult issues
Mike Gospe (mikeg@kickstartall.com)
is one of the founding members of the KickStart Alliance. The KickStart
Alliance (www.kickstartall.com)
is a team of senior marketing and sales leaders who assist startups
and emerging companies develop and execute a variety of marketing
and sales goals and objectives.
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